Rants on Cycling and on Life:
Photos of people and bicycles that pass in front of my camera

5.23.2011

Race Report: DNF

top three in Clydesdale at the 2011 Greenbrier Challengephoto credit to Joel Gwadz

it is funny...on Sunday I was exhausted not from racing but from having to tell people why I was not racingthis a little funnyas much as I dreaded telling the story as to why I was not on the race course at that point in timeI look forward to telling why I was not racing on Sunday here on my blog

on Sunday the text book response was "I broke my chain" in an effort not to bore peopleI withheld any wordy drama or anything that would qualify as a "could have been a contender" sort of statement

there is this for those that care to know more than I DNFed because I broke my chainhere are some words

Clydesdale is not a NORBA-USA Cycling category...There is no Clydesdale Class in the State Championship...there is no NORBA Clydesdale National Championship...that is not an issue because that is not what it is aboutit is about racing

This weekend past Potomac Velo Club hosted the Maryland State Mountain Bike Championships just outside of Frederick, Maryland less than an hour outside The District. I was in attendance to test my strength and skills against a cast of over sized challengers; The Clydesdales. Clydesdale is a class comprised of racers over 200 pounds... most competitive cyclists are smaller... 180 would be big for a cyclist. Alberto Contador weighs 140 pounds. The author of this post weighs roughly 225lbs.

Within a week of race day I registered and watched the confirmed riders list grow.I knew a number of the people on the list and I looked forward to lining up with them.

Sure it gives me anxiety. The thought of racing and the events of the day give me anxiety. It is not so important to me... but it is important to me.It is not important that I win... it is important how I perform. I want to go out and race and give my best. If I do not give my best I am sure to get slaughtered. I want to race my best and give my opponents some solid competition. After all... It is race day. That is what race day is about... not just another day riding the bike.

It was clear to me that there were a number of people coming with their A Game... their over sized A Game. Ready to pounce. Ready to deliver. Ready to Race! Several of which would be looking to win. I want to try and match their efforts... if possible I want to exceed their efforts! I would like to win. I would like to be faster than them... I would like to finish in front of them... yes... I want to win. My goal is to try my hardest. My goal is to do my best. Within that... I would like my effort to put me in front of my competition. But I can accept... if I give my best and someone else wins... I did my best and that is all I can do.

At the line waiting for the race to start I looked at the racers around me... there were no surprises... I had seen some of the people in the parking lot and others doing their warm ups... I did not really work to warm up as warming up is not really my thing... I just rode around in anticipation for the race to start. The time before a race can be packed full of anxiety. I hate anxiety. All I want is for the race to start and to be on the bike. It is always better on the bike.

there were at least four racers who I knew had the skill, the strength, and the desire to stand tall (and heavy) in the number one slot on the podium. As for the others... there was no knowing... I did not do any googling of other racers names for previous race efforts... so... there was no knowing who is strong and who is a challenger until the race starts or maybe not until the race ends

Who was at the line?

Robert Georgantas and I had battled on this Greenbrier course years prior which had me knowing that we would be battling again today. Robert and I battled in the fall at a number of cyclocross races... but this mountain bike race with its Clydesdale Class carries more "weight."Brian Fults and I had come to know each other from racing against each other a the tail end of last season... he was on my radar and I knew he was a challenger who had come prepared to race. We had some electronic communication and I knew that he was developing into an intense rider-racer.JR Petsko was also on the line for what he believed to be his "Swan Song." JR has been dropping weight fast and was claiming to have this be his good bye to the Clydesdale Class. JR was gunning for me... he made that clear.Add me to the mix and there were FOUR CLYDESDALES fighting for FIRST along with a handful of others who existed as a big question mark.

The time leading to the start contained the usual tension and stress. Then there is that other set of question marks...how will the body perform? how will the bike perform? what will the course be like? will this rain hold out? Is it muddy or dry? Is the course slow or fast? How will the day unfold? do I have enough fuel and fluid to get me through this three lap race?

I was pretty silent as others chatted. I made a few jokes about taking it slow and starting off with three laps at parade pace. Knowing that Brian and Robert are big into pre-riding and knowing the course I asked them their intention on the first climb.... Middle Ring or Granny Gear? It was unanimous... MIDDLE RING! Which meant that the racing was going to start at the gun and red line it into the woods and then red line it up the that first hill! Then more than likely stay in the RED ZONE until the third lap is finished.

I tried not to think about it... I tried to just breath... there is some anxiety paired with racing... anxiety in the days prior... major anxiety in the moments before the racedid I mention anxiety?

various mantras were forgotten as I got lost in the anxiety of the momentmy mantras can be so helpfulhaving my head right can be helpful

it was too late to think about anything other than the raceno time to train harder... no time to fuel the body any more... no time to adjust or tune the bike... there was only time to wait for the race to startthe tire pressure was set to where it would be ridden no matter the conditions of the coursewith the sound of a whistle the categories before us were released

from the Pros on through the classes... from faster to less fast... on to the least fastCat One Men.. Cat One Woman... Cat Two... and so on and so forth until everyone was on the course except for the Clydesdalesthen it happened... it was our turn to take to the course... there was a 10 Second countdown and then the whistle

not trying to go so hard that I blew up in the first 100 yards I started off and allowed others to set the pace... Brian Fults and Robert Georgantas raced for the hole shot with intensity... I followed right behind them trying to match their pace... but not trying to do anything that would cause my calves and quads to lock up in the first 20 seconds of the race

off the grass... onto the gravel... and into the woodsnot far from the base of the first climb I made a passit was not a power play... it was just a pass so that I could push the pedals and maintain a cadence that would be comfortable for mean effort to take this climb without being stuck behind anyone who might slip and cause me to lose momentumokay... maybe a chance to see if I could take control of the racean opportunity to see what people are thinking

it had happened... I stepped into the first slot... cresting the top of that first short climb I was in firstI felt it was too early to try and make any strong effortno reason to burn out in the first mile of a three lap race I tried to keep my coolinstead of trying to jack rabbit off the front I tried to race smart... I took the descent fast and fluid... trying not to get reckless or out of control... braking more than pedaling

going fast enough that I would not beckon the passnot going so fast that I find myself off trail in a patch of poison ivy

worked hard to not over cook my turns... tried to take the semi submerged logs that crossed the trail with control

one left hand turn came up as a surprise... there was a well beaten path from where a number of racers had gone straight... unconscious logic and momentum pulled me off line with the beaten pathI had to really pull down my speedI braked hard on the loose earththis spot must have caused numerous pile ups in the classes released before us... there was a rut from all the hard brakingI managed to maintain control and make the left hand turn while what appeared to be Brian Fults went off trail into the woods

some how Brian managed to correct things and blaze a trail back towards the trailI could hear his breathing and feel his body just to my side off trail

OH SHIT!BALLISTIC MISSILE!Check out the Helmet Cam Footage by Brian Fults!The first few minutes play out pretty much how I told them...only I had no idea that JR was on my tail at that point in the race...and I had no idea the SPEED and INTENSITY that Brian Descends!IT IS LIKE HE IS DRILLING TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUh6EZTXZV0

I selected a decent set of lines through the rock garden... my pace was fluid but not excessively fast... again... trying to race smartalways trying to find the smart line... which is not always the easiest line... because that easy line may lead to a dead end... so I tried to connect the dots and seek lines that were ride-able to lines that were ride-able instead of what looked like the easiest place for the tires to roll

exiting the rock garden turning onto some Jeep road double track it happened... I was passed by another racer... another Clydesdale... it was not one of my suspected three... it was one of those question marks

the large rider in the black kit muscled ahead... I let him get a comfortable gap ahead of me... a few bike lengths seemed to be enoughrather than challenge his pace I figured I would try to simply match his pace just out of his shadowthere is more to racing than pushing the pedals as hard as one canthere has to be some sort of strategyI wanted to save my strength for later in the gameI did not want to start "racing" this guy too soon

he was moving pretty good so I just worked to keep him in sight

through the woods across a few creeks... rolling through a few minor rock sections and then up another climba few yards up the climb and I felt myself on the rear wheel of the leading Clydesdalerather than attempting a pass and pushing the pace I dismounted and walked my bikethinking I could match his pace on foot and exert less energysaving that energy for what I thought would be an intense effort later in the gamethinking that I would have two more laps to try and hammer up this climb on the bike

over the crest of that hill and back on the bikethe leading racer within sight just a turn ahead I pedaled the somewhat familiar course comfortablyalthough I did not pre-ride the course... I have raced hear a number of times in years past... so there is some familiarity... if nothing else for where I am in the lapthe bike and body were feeling good... not stellar... but good... I was racing... racing is about pushing one's personal limits... I was racing... I felt good riding at race pace... I felt the racing... I felt I had a good race in me...

as I pedaled forward I felt the presence of a rider in my shadow... it was JR Petskoseveral times JR was following so close that his front wheel kissed my rear wheelit was clear that JR was pacing off meit did not irk me... not even the kiss of the tires...I thought about the race ahead... in my mind I thought that there was some solid racing in front of me in the laps that followed

I did an accessment of my bike and my bodyeverything seemed as it shouldmy heart was pumping... my breathing was at an audible Darth Vader intensity... and my legs were pushing the pedals and turning the cranks as they should... more muscle than finesseI was racing... I was working things at my personal limits

all systems go...the race was starting to develop some personality

down a smooth gradual downhill I glided with comfort... again trying not to be foolish and crash or run off course I rode smart and within my limitsat the base of the downhill I took that sharp left that feeds into the rocky technical ascentnot a steep climb... but a technical rocky climb

not trying to get ahead of myself I thought about the racer in front of me and the racers behind meand where I wanted to be crossing the Start Finish area at the start of lap twocould I catch him at the start of the next lap then try to take that climb along side of him?should I try to catch him?it was here that it happened... gently spinning in the middle ring my chain snappedit was loud... it was audible... anybody within ear shot knew what happenedglancing down at the earth behind my rear wheel I saw what appeared to be a skinny silver snake coiled on the black earth... but no... it was not an evil little snakeit was an evil little mechanical... a broken chain

I tried not to panic... I tried not to throw a fit... I stepped off the trail and pulled off my clear glasses and sweat soaked glovesthen grabbed my Crank Brothers multi-tool from my seat pack and started a trail side repair... old school stylewith my heart rate still cranked I tried to remain composureanxiety overwhelmed me as one by one the entire Clydesdale Class rolled past meeach racer offering assistance and concerneach racer reminding me of the ticking of the clock

without a spare master link I fell back on my old school waysI threaded the chain through the frame... through the derailleur... resting on the bottom bracket along side the small front chain ringthen I removed a link and pushed a pin to the proper position and then rejoined the chainwith a spin of the cranks it the chain was back onwith a backspin of the cranks there did not appear to be that kick of the rear derailleur indicating a stiff linkthe bike seemed ready to ride... I was excited to get back in the race

off the fast line I remounted and started pedaling

fast guys from the fast classes screamed byI felt that I was far enough off to the side that my effort would not hinder their momentumthen it happenedjust a few pedal strokes forward and the chain snapped againI fell to the side... like Goliath being struck by a rock from David's sling shot I fell... being the giant that I am I blocked the whole trail and then some of the road as well

I scrambled to get out of the pedals and off the trailgetting clear but causing frustration to the fast approaching ridersorry rider in the ALAN kit... I know your frustration... I feel your frustration... I hate when the lesser rider gets tangled up in front of mehate that I was that guy... but there was little I could do

I thought my bike was ready to rollI thought that I was going to make a dramatic effort to catch the top three racers in my classI thought I was still racingbut instead... I was walkingI thought I was going to get back in the gamebut instead I was headed back to the car

knowing that fixing the new chain in the old school ways is not a sure thing I walkedknowing that the time it took to fix my chain once was a good deal of time... but twice... twice would take me out of the game entirely... my day was donewithout completing a single lap... I was hoofing itthat painful walk of shame

trying to be considerate of the racers I kept one eye on approaching bicycle traffic behind meI coasted the downhill section with the chain in my handat the drop in to the muddy section that bypasses the lake trail and leads to the dam I went straightI cut off the course into the campground

that short cut was a proud moment... it lessened my having to traverse the final miles of the course then have to march back to the carthis would give me a nice pedal-less descent on the road where people had warmed up before the race then a short march to the parking lot

from the campground to the main park road I approached the parking lot from the other directionback at the car I saw fellow Clydesdale Robert Georgantas at his car already in civilian gearapparently he had pedal issues and had to end his race after one lap

misery loves companywe exchanged our tails of woes after we each loaded our bikes into our cars that were parked within ear shot of the other

my chain had broken and Robert had snapped half of his pedal... it was ride-able but not dependablewhich had Robert ending his race early as well

the day did not go as plannedI hated having to tell people about my tale of woebeing left out of the fun I had a hard time celebrating everyone's victoriesI did not want to play show and tellI just wanted to go homebut no... I had car pooled to the eventI had to wait for my friends to finish

so I took the camera and went out onto the course to snap some shots and cheer on the racers who had better luck than I had hadin an effort to be a good sport I tried to congratulate the top Clydesdale Finisherswhen they stood on the podium I snapped a shot of themthen got into the car and pointed for home

2 comments:

Most excellent recap to a not so excellent day. Although, as a sunny side up kind of guy, I would say that from your sadness (not being able to test yourself fully) brought great joy to others (through your photography and kind words on FB). When it is all said and done, that to me is a bigger win (although the podium would have been nice too :-) )Tom (Team Bike Lane)

About Me

if you want to know about me all you need to do is check out my BLOG
it is not the same everyday or everyweek
the focus changes and alters with my moods and with the events of the day and the events of my life